But what kind of season could he expect to have with the Canadiens? NHL.com examined three areas where the Canadiens captain could improve this season.
Power-play production
Pacioretty is a prolific goal-scorer with five 30-goal seasons in the NHL but only 25 percent of his goals (39 of 158) over the past five seasons have come on the power play. Despite missing 18 games last season because of injury, Pacioretty finished with 15 power-play points (six goals, nine assists), two shy of his NHL career high of 17 (eight goals, nine assists) in 2015-16. He averaged 3:06 on the power play last season, his most since 2011-12 (3:10). Still, his low power-play shooting percentage (10.9 percent) kept him from making a bigger impact. If Pacioretty’s power-play shooting percentage reverts closer to his average over the past five seasons (16.3 percent), he could exceed his NHL career high of 10 power-play goals set in 2013-14.
Video: [email protected]: Pacioretty tallies PPG from the slot in 2nd
Since the Canadiens hired associate coach Kirk Muller to help address their special teams on June 2, 2016, their power play has improved; it was ranked 25th in 2015-16 (16.2 percent), 13th (19.7 percent) in 2016-17 and tied for 12th (21.2 percent) last season. With No. 1 defenseman Shea Weber (knee surgery) expected to be out until mid-December, Jeff Petry, who had an NHL career-high 23 power-play points (six goals, 17 assists) last season, can fill the void and help propel Pacioretty to his best season on the power play.
The Canadiens’ trade of forward Alex Galchenyuk to the Arizona Coyotes on June 15 bodes well for Pacioretty. Galchenyuk had NHL career highs in power-play points (24) and power-play shots (78) last season; without him on the top unit, Pacioretty will be counted on more.
Even-strength points
Pacioretty had the fifth-most even-strength points (291) by an NHL left wing over the past seven seasons and was among the NHL’s best at the position in that span despite scoring 21 even-strength points (10 goals, 11 assists) last season, his lowest total since he scored 16 (seven goals, nine assists) in 2010-11. His output can partially be explained by the Canadiens’ struggles at even strength, where they scored the second-fewest goals in the NHL with 148, behind the Buffalo Sabres’ 140.
More specifically for Pacioretty, he has lacked an elite center for most of his 10 seasons with the Canadiens. During the past five seasons, the most productive center on Pacioretty’s line was Tomas Plekanec in 2015-16 (54 points). Plekanec, who signed a one-year contract with the Canadiens on July 1 after they traded him to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Feb. 25, seems unlikely to play top-line minutes given that he has had back-to-back seasons with fewer than 30 points (26 last season; 28 in 2016-17).
Video: [email protected]: Pacioretty tucks rebound by Rask
Playing with Pacioretty, center Phillip Danault had 40 points (13 goals, 27 assists) points in 2016-17 and was on pace for 39 last season but missed 30 games because of injury and finished with 25 (eight goals, 17 assists). If Danault is healthy and produces at a similar rate to the past two seasons, Pacioretty’s even-strength point total could be closer to his average over the past five seasons (42.4).
Better start
Pacioretty had a slow start last season with four goals in 12 October games. He improved with 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 15 games in November, but had four assists in 12 games in December. His average of 0.51 points per game over the first three months (20 points in 39 games) was well below his NHL career average for that part of the season (0.63).
Video: Potential bounce back players for 2018-2019
Pacioretty should have a better start to this season, one more in line with that career average, if Montreal has even minimal improvement. From Oct. 1 to Dec. 31, 2017, the Canadiens scored 99 goals, the fifth fewest in the NHL and a big dropoff from the previous two seasons. In 2016-17, they were tied for fourth with 112 goals over the first three months of the season; in 2015-16, they were tied for fifth with 109.
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